The use of more private funding in China's Belt and Road Initiative is a hot topic at an annual business forum on infrastructure being held this week in Macao. Mao Dan reports.

Belt and Road is the key phrase at the 9th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum in Macao. And it's the consensus that vast amounts of private finance are required to translate the initiative into more concrete projects.

GAO YAN VICE COMMERCE MINISTER "Over the past five years, we've seen growing interest in Belt and Road infrastructure building. The need for funding is also growing."

There is, therefore, both a need and an opportunity for private investors to play a role.

NAJEEB HAIDER PRINCIPAL STRATEGY OFFICER, AIIB "The Belt and Road is a very significant initiative, probably the largest in the world in the infrastructure space. The gap in terms of the requirements and the ability of funding is quite significant. Trillions of dollars will be required. From the AIIB perspective, what we like to do is to increase the proportion of private capital that get used to financing these large projects over time."

MAO DAN MACAO "More than 17-hundred participants are taking part in the two-day forum here in Macao. Just look at the guest list and the various booths here at the event, it's not hard to tell how businesses from different sectors want to get involved in the fast emerging infrastructure projects along the Belt and Road."

Caterpillar, the world's leading equipment maker, was one of the first international companies to associate its own planning with the Belt and Road Initiative. It is also deploying its financing arm to spur Belt and Road sales.

CHEN QIHUA, VP CATERPILLAR CHINA "The total number of infrastructure projects along the Belt and Road more than doubled over the past three years and so did investment. For Caterpillar, we have expanded our businesses in Asia Pacific and Africa. To just give an example, demand for our financing service increased by a quarter over the past year."

The company expects more expansion under the momentum.

CHEN QIHUA, VP CATERPILLAR CHINA "We are pushing forward intelligent technology, service and solutions. We hope the smart transformation will bring better service to our contractors and to the projects we are involved in."

Industry players and investors will have more discussions on potential as the Belt and Road Initiative re-angles global trade. Mao Dan, CGTN, Macao.